Several Lakeland agencies are considering partnering up to roll out a new transportation option, but wonder if it can gain enough traction to stick around.
Citrus Connection, Lakeland’s public bus agency, approached the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority’s board of directors to ask if they would consider bringing a bicycle sharing program back to the city.
"I’m all for it," said Commissioner Mike Musick, the City Commission’s representative on the LDDA’s board. "We need to continue down this road."
The idea is being tossed around between various Lakeland agencies, who are looking to see who might be willing to financially partner up to fund the startup costs of such a program.
A community survey to measure citizens’ interest in a possible bike or scooter program has been posted online at https://forms.gle/keNkXxLrpcJv85jK9 . Lakeland had a bike share service, didn’t it?
The city previously had a bike-sharing service in partnership with Zagster for about three years, from late 2015 to 2018, before it came to an end.
"Lakeland was ahead of its time with Swan City Cycles," Mara Latorre, a transportation planner with Citrus Connection, said at LDDA’s Thursday meeting. "The ridership was not high enough to sustain it long term."Latorre said she thinks several factors have changed that could lead to the program’s successful relaunch.First and foremost, the city’s population has grown by roughly 13% since 2018."You can see it driving on the roads, in the city and around town. There’s increased traffic and congestion, more cars means more traffic," she said.Citrus Connection has partnered […]
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